Our intention is to invest at least £15 million over the next three years to test out this new patient-facing role in which clinical pharmacists have extended responsibility over and above many current ways of working.

Supported by Health Education England, The Royal College of General Practitioners, British Medical Association’s GP Committee and Royal Pharmaceutical Society, it builds on the experiences of general practices that already have clinical pharmacists in patient facing roles, in some cases as partners. The pilot will be evaluated so that success and learning is identified and reported.

Practices have already suggested that this extended role could include managing care for people with self-limiting illnesses and long-term conditions and have asked that the new team members have the ability to independently prescribe.

The pilot will be part funded for three years with an expectation that practices will continue with the role into year four and beyond. We anticipate that roughly in 250 clinical pharmacists will be involved over this period with the ambition of supporting over 1 million patients.

Practices and groups of practices are invited to bid to participate in the pilot and are strongly encouraged to work together to assemble joint bids involving pharmacists across a number of sites. It is anticipated that clinical pharmacists will be in post early in 2016.

The application deadline of is 5pm on Thursday 17 September 2015. Please see below to download an application pack: